Power-line tapper



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G. w. BOWER POWER LINE TAPPER Filed July 9, 1923 W. w. @ifi B r MK WE m H all a Patented Aug. 18, 71925.

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COIPANY, A. CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

POWER-LINE TAPPEB.

Application flled iluly 9-, 1923. Serial No. 650,252.

To allwhom it may concern: 1

Be it known that I, GEORGE W. BOWER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Schenectady, in the county of Schenectady, State of New York, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Power- Line Tappers, of which the following is a specification.

The present invention relates to electric power distribution and more especially to devices for temporarily tappin off a branch circuit from a power line wit out disturbance of the operating condition of the latter and commercially known as power line tappers.

These tapping devices are little more or less than jaws or clam s secured to the ends of the branch circuit wires and adapted to be applied to positively grip the bare wires of a power circuit while carried at the end of a long operating wooden pole in order that the application may be made in comparative safety to the operator. The object of my invention is to provide an improved line tapper which may be a plied to a power circuit wire so as to strong y and surely grip the latter and insure good electrical contact therewith.

One embodiment of the invention is shown in the accompanying drawing in which Fig. 1 is a side elevation of my line tapper with the arts in the positions assumed just prior to t e grippin engagement with the power circuit wire; ig. 2 is a left-hand edge elevation, and Fig. 3 is a vertical central secltion thereof with the parts shown in the gripping position.

As shown in the drawing, the line tapper comprises a body portion in the form of a cast metal shell 1 with a hook or fixed jaw 2 at one edge, a movable gripping jaw 3 controlled-by a powerful spring 4 and a binding connector 5 for the branch conductor.

The shell 1 has two spaced flat side walls '6 united at their upper ends by a dome 7 and at their lower'ends by a'lug 8 drilled "for the reception of an end of the branch act on the power circuit wire 11. The edges I of the side walls below the/hook 2 are aresliaped with shouldered projections 12 near the lower ends. The left-hand ed es of the sidewalls, as shown in Fig. 1, are ared outwardly at their upper ends tQiOIIXJ a bell shaped receptacle 13 for the horn 14 at the upper end of the operating pole shown in dotted lines, Fig. 1. The bell-shaped receptacle 13 terminates inwardly in a radial rib 15 which serves to afford a frictional retaining surface for the horn 14.

j The movable gripping jaw 3 is fulcrumed on a transverse pin 16 passing through the side walls 6 below the rib 15 and extends between said walls and beyond the opposite edges thereof where it terminates in an eye 17 of a size to receive therein the horn 1 when disconnecting thedevice from the wire 11. The movable jaw has formed thereon, adjacent the eye 17, a wire gripping ledge 18 provided with a V-shaped groove 19 and is extended transversely corresponding to the lips 10 of the hook 2. Catch projections 20 are formed on the sides of the jaw in position to engage the shouldered projections 12. In order that the jaw 3 may move longitudinally to permit the catch projections 20 to pass over the shouldered projections 12, it is provided with a slotted bearing 21 atits fulcrum pin 16. This slotted bearing is preferably disposed to stand vertically when the jaw is in its open position, as shown in Fig. 1, so that after the device has been hooked over the transmission wire 11, a downward pull upon the operating pole serves to depress the jaw 3 to cause it to free itself from the shouldered projections 12. To insure the detachment of the horn 14; from the device upon closure of the jaw 3 upon the wire 11, a kick off projection 22 is formed on the jaw adjacent its fulcrum, and to insure the closing of the jaw before removal of the operating horn, the former is provided with a holding tooth 23 adapted to support the horn in engagement with the radial rib 15 so that its somewhat enlarged end may not be withdrawn while the jaw is latched open.

The movable jaw actuating sprin 4 is of helical shape with one end pivote to the jaw 3 and the other end anchored at the top of the body portion and in order that the full force of the spring may be exerted on the jaw, it is preferably anchored and piv- OF BCHENECTAD Y, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO GENERAL ELECTRIC by Letters Patent of the United States, istj.

1. A line tapper comprising two jaws,

yieldable means for closing and causing said jaws to grip an electric conductor, means for latching said jaws open against the action of said yieldable means, and means for releasing said latching means.

2. A line tapper comprising a body portion provided with a hooked jaw, a movable jawfulcrumed on said body, yieldable means for actuating said movable jaw, and releasable means for holding said movable jaw'open during application of the hooked jaw to anelectric conductor.

3. A line tapper comprising a body portion provided with a hooked jaw and horn engaging means, a movable jaw fulcrumed on said body portion, yieldable means for causing said jaws to grip an electric conductor, means for-"latching said movable jaw open during application of the hooked jaw to the conductor, and means'adapted to be actuated by the horn -for unlatching said movable jaw.

A line tapper comprising a body portion provided on one edge with a hooked jaw and on the opposite edge with a recess for the reception of 'a-mani-pulating instrument, a movable jaw fulcrumed on said body, yieldable means for causing said jaws to grip an electric conductor, means for latching said movable jaw open, and means controlled by the manipulating instrument. to shift said movable jaw out of latched posit1or:i m t b d 5. e apper comprisin ao ortion provided with a hooked jaw and grecess for the reeeptiori of an -?operating born,

a movable jaw slidably fu1crumed on said .*j l

body beneath said recess,-=yieldable means" for causing said jaws to 'grip an electric body portion adaptedto engage and retain open said movable jaw.

- 6. A line tapper comprisin causing said jawsto grip an electric con- U conductor, shouldered -projections on said" g a bod portion rovided w1th a hooked aw an a re- 1 ductor, and means for preventingdetachment of the actuating horn wh ile the movable jaw is open and fo'r'insuring its detachment when said jaw is closed. a In witness whereof, I'have. hereunto set.

, my hand this 6th day of July, 1923.

GEORGE W. BQWER. 

